Christmas In Minnesota
by wackyjacqs
Summary: Two days after Thanksgiving, northern Minnesota is expecting its worst snow storm in 40 years. Jonathan "Jack" O'Neill – a State Patrol Captain – has been tasked with implementing an emergency plan for his town to ensure its residents stay safe and the annual festive celebrations go ahead… but he never factored meeting the mysterious Samantha Carter into the mix. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This fic was meant to be a oneshot but it quickly spiraled, but the story is the result of a conversation on Twitter between a few Sam/Jack shippers. Essentially, one of the emergency services sent out a tweet to advise**** drivers that they should have a winter driving survival kit in their car when out and about – and one of the items on the list was a car jack… well, it was soon decided that the only Jack that we would need, would be Jack O'Neill. And apparently, that was all the encouragement I needed to start writing.**

**Super special thanks have to go to my lovely Minnesotan ladies Michelle and Sarah for their help on getting the story details right so far. Honestly, they beat this Irish girl's idea into amazing shape and I'm so, so grateful! Thank you also to Aoibhi for being my ever-present sounding board.**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1  
**

**1500 hours**  
**Saturday, November 30****  
Northern Minnesota  
**  
_"– and blizzard warnings remain in effect across most of the county this afternoon. Between ten and fifteen inches of snowfall is expected within the next –"_

"Yeah, yeah," Jack muttered to himself as he turned the volume down on the radio. He had eyes; he knew the approaching storm was going to be more severe than had been predicted, but the way his knee was starting to act up told him the storm was also going to reach the town a lot earlier than anyone had anticipated.

Switching off the truck's engine, he reached across the dash and grabbed his hat. Not that it would offer much protection in this weather. He glanced out of the driver's window and grimaced. It had started snowing two hours earlier, but now it was falling heavier and faster and starting to accumulate on the roads. With a sigh, he got out of the truck and quickly made his way towards the patrol station.

He closed the outer door of the building tightly behind him and was immediately thankful for the warmth of the station.

"Uff da, it's really snowing out there," he muttered.

He stamped his boots against the mat to dislodge the remaining snow around the heels and toes, unzipped his jacket, and pulled the hat from his head before he made a beeline for his office. He'd only just thrown his hat onto the desk, and had to watch helplessly as it slid across the surface, leaving a wet trail in its wake, before it landed on his chair.

"Great," he mumbled.

"Um, Captain O'Neill?"

"Yeah," he answered, as he made his way around the large desk to retrieve his hat. Giving it a final shake and disapproving glare, he hung it on the nearby coat rack. He then glanced at his chair and shrugged before he sat down. "What's up, Walter?" he added, finally looking up at his assistant.

"I have the latest weather report for you, sir, plus the updated emergency plan. Chief Hayes called while you were out. We've been advised to implement it as soon as possible."

Jack nodded as he reached for the folder. The news wasn't surprising in and of itself, but what did surprise him was that his superiors had – for once – seemed to realize just how serious the impending storm really was going to be. It was going to hit their town – and the surrounding areas – hard.

"Thanks," Jack acknowledged as he started to read. "Where's Kawalsky?"

"We received more calls over the past hour," Walter offered and Jack raised a brow, silently ordering him to continue. "Both he and Officer Mitchell were tasked to deal with a traffic accident on the outskirts of town."

Jack frowned at the information. He always worried when his officers responded to call-outs, but the current weather conditions made the situation even more hazardous – especially where the roads were concerned.

"Any injuries?"

"No, sir."

"Good," he said with a final nod. "Keep me posted."

"Yes, sir," Walter answered as he turned and left the office, closing the door behind him.

Jack spent the next few minutes reading over the information he'd received and then he phoned Hayes to confirm that the town's emergency plan would be in place within the hour; including coordinating emergency communications, prioritising service requests, and deploying resources where the need was currently the greatest. When Hayes finally ended the call, Jack sighed heavily. Although he never admitted it over the phone, he'd had already started to implement some of the plan the previous day and he and his officers had, so far, tried their best to minimize the impact of the snow. His main priority now, however, was just to get the people of his town safely to their homes this evening and advise them to stay put until the worst of the weather had passed.

He ran a hand over his face. He was proud to say that he loved his job, but more and more lately he'd thought about calling it a day and handing the role – and responsibilities – over to a younger man. He'd already ran the idea by George Hammond one night over a game of chess, and in the end, the former Air Force General had just chuckled and with a fatherly pat on Jack's shoulder said he always had projects needing finished around the lodge. In all honesty, Jack knew he'd go stir crazy with full retirement, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit interested by George's proposal of some part-time work.

He shook his head in a vain attempt to clear his mind; now was _not_ the time to start dwelling on the issue. He'd get through the rest of the year and then seriously think about retiring.

With a newfound resolve, Jack got to his feet and made his way through to the main office space where the sound of his officers' conversations reached his ears and the smell of coffee and donuts invaded his nostrils. Out of habit, Jack cast a quick glance around and, aside from Kawalsky and Mitchell, he let out a breath when he was sure the rest of his men – and women – were accounted for. He watched them all fondly for a moment as they enjoyed a brief respite from their duties before he clapped his hands together to get their attention.

"Okay, listen up," he said. "Here's the plan…"

* * *

_From his desk to the window._

_From Walter's desk to the coffee machine._

_From Mitchell's desk to the window._

Jack had trudged the same path for the past three hours as they'd launched the town's plan for the storm. He knew he would need every single member of his team to help everyone get through the next few days safely, so to be at their best, he'd divided his people into two teams and implemented a rota, sending one group away to get some much-needed rest before they took up the mantle in a few hours' time when he and the other team got their break.

With his workforce already halved, Jack dispatched as many officers remaining as he could with orders to help people get home quickly but safely, and also to help keep the roads as clear as possible for the emergency services; while he and a skeleton crew remained at the station to monitor the situation and await updates. A part of him though desperately wanted to be out there, on the front lines helping, as opposed to from behind his desk – even if it was his job now.

The shrill ring of the phone pulled him from his thoughts. "O'Neill."

_"Hi Jack."_

"Daniel," he answered, his attention switching to the window. "Is everyone home okay?"

_"Everyone's safe."  
_  
With a relieved sigh, Jack leaned against the edge of the desk but then he frowned. "Daniel," he said slowly, "while I'm glad you're all okay… that isn't what I asked."

_"There's been a slight change in plans."_

"Oh?"

_"Yeah. We're at Hammond Lodge," _he added after a beat.

"What about Janet and Cass?"

_"Teal'c is making sure they get here safely and then he's going to head back out to see how he can help."_

Despite the seriousness of the entire situation, Jack couldn't help but smile at the thought of how his closest friends – those he considered family – always looked after each other, and sought each other out and, somehow, seemed to spend most of their free time together. So, being stranded together in a snowstorm, while a new scenario for them all, wasn't as surprising as it otherwise should have been.

"Sir?"

"Hang on a sec," he said to Daniel as he turned to find Walter standing at the other side of his desk. "Yeah?"

"We've just received a call from a driver stranded two miles out."

"Same spot?"

Walter nodded. "Yes, sir."

Jack closed his eyes and sighed. There was a bend in the road around two miles outside of town that had been a hotspot for accidents since the snow started to fall. This would be their sixth call-out to that particular location this afternoon alone.

"Injuries?"

"No. Just stranded."

"Who've we got?"

He could see Walter visibly pale and Jack knew instantly what was coming next.

"That depends, Captain. Do you want to know who is closest, or who is free?"

"Alright," he said. "Give me two minutes."

He waited until Walter left before he switched his attention back to his phone call. "Listen, Daniel I hate to do this but –"

_"I heard,"_ his friend interrupted, _"and it's fine. We'll look after Charlie until you get here."_

"Thanks. Can I talk to him?"

_"Sure, hang on."_

Jack could hear background noise on the phone so he took the opportunity to close the door to his office.

_"Dad?"_

"Hey, kiddo," he answered, his mood immediately better. "You okay?"

_"Yeah. Daniel says you have to work late."_

"I need to make sure everyone gets home safely tonight."

There was a pause on the other end of the line and Jack closed his eyes. Even though he liked his job, this was an aspect he could really do without. He hated being away from his son longer than he needed to be.

_"That's okay,"_ Charlie eventually answered. _"When you get home can we play in the snow?"_

"That depends," Jack said. "It might be past your bedtime."

_"There's no school tomorrow."  
_  
"That is not the point," he chuckled, "but we'll see." A knock on the door caught Jack's attention and he looked up to find Walter hovering. "Charlie, I need to go. Make sure you behave for Uncle Daniel, okay?"

_"Yes, sir!"  
_  
With a final laugh, he asked the little boy to give the phone back to Daniel. As he waited for his friend to answer, Jack already had his winter coat on and grabbed his hat.

_"What's up?"_

"Don't let Charlie play out in the snow too long. I don't care if the kid has no school tomorrow."

An amused laugh was his answer and Jack instinctively knew his friend had absolutely no intention of listening to his orders. So, with a grin of his own, he shook his head. "See you later, Daniel."

_"You too, Jack. Stay safe."  
_  
"Thanks."

He barely had time to end the call before Walter handed him a piece of paper.

"The driver believes their tires locked just before the bend on the road and they slid into the ditch."

As Jack listened to the details, he placed his cell phone into his pocket and started to leave his office, knowing his assistant would follow.

"No passengers. No injuries; and the vehicle is off-road, so it's not causing any further obstructions."

"Great." The last thing Jack needed was for another driver to come along and hit the vehicle. "Did you tell them to stay inside the car?"

"Yes, sir," and Jack couldn't help but wince at Walter's silent – but clearly obvious – _'duh'_ tacked onto the end of his answer. As he reached the main door to the building, Jack glanced over his shoulder. "When Kawalsky gets back, let him know he's in charge."

He didn't wait for a response before he stepped outside and made his way towards his truck. He quickly jumped inside, turned on the engine and stuck his fingers against the air vents to warm them up. After a couple of moments, he pulled the piece of paper Walter had handed him from his pocket and studied the details once again before his eyes landed on the information he was looking for.

_Sam Carter._

He didn't recognize the name, but that didn't necessarily mean much around this time of year. Many people from out of town – and state – tended to stay in the area for the holidays.

He set the note on the passenger seat and started to reverse out of the parking lot.

"Okay," he muttered as he pulled onto the street. "Let's see what trouble you've gotten yourself into, Carter."


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: Did I mention this is a slow burn?**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**1630 hours****  
****Saturday, November 30****  
****Northern Minnesota**

It took Jack a lot longer than he expected, or had wanted, to reach the accident site but he was just thankful to have made it in one piece. The truck had slid a couple of times as he'd made his way out of town and visibility was now at a minimum, so he wasn't surprised when he received a call from Walter a few minutes earlier to say the roads around town had been closed. While they would still listen for any call-outs regarding stranded drivers, Jack was pretty sure that this case would be his last journey out to this spot today. So, he'd go and retrieve Carter, possibly his vehicle too, get them all safely back into town and then he could focus his resources on the town itself.

Carefully, he brought the truck to a stop at the side of the road, opposite to where a car had nosed-dived into the ditch. Switching off the engine, he grabbed a flashlight. It was already dark and he didn't relish the idea of hanging around here any longer than he needed.

He made his way towards the car in question and despite the snowfall, he could still make out where it had slid and subsequently gone off-road. As he also couldn't see anyone standing around, he was happy that at least Carter had followed Walter's instructions to stay inside the vehicle. He'd just reached the driver's side of the car when the door suddenly popped open – as much as it could given its current position – and he stepped back. Jack reached out a hand as the driver struggled to get out of the vehicle but they were almost face-to-face before he started the conversation. He had to raise his voice a little to be heard over the storm.

"Are you Carter?"

The stranger nodded, then pulled at their scarf while a gloved hand pushed their hat further upwards so Jack could see their face and he was momentarily surprised to discover that his call-out was for a woman. His surprise then turned to annoyance at Walter who failed to disclose the fact that it was a female stranded out here on her own, and he made a mental note to have a chat with him when he got back to the station. When he'd been told he would be looking for a Sam Carter, he assumed –

"Yeah," the woman said. "I'm Samantha Carter," she added as if she heard his thoughts, "and I'm really sorry about this."

Forcing himself to focus on what she was saying rather than calling his assistant to start an argument, Jack leaned in a little closer and could see that she seemed both embarrassed and genuinely remorseful for being responsible for their current situation. He took a deep breath and counted to three. The last thing Miss Carter needed was to be stuck in the middle of his foul mood.

"It's fine," he finally answered, giving her a small smile. "Did Walter follow up after you called?"

She nodded again. "Yes. I take it you're Officer O'Neill?"

Instinctively, he reached into his pocket for his ID – only for the wallet to land in the snow.

"Ah, crap."

He heard a soft chuckle escape the woman standing in front of him before she pulled off one of her gloves and reached down to retrieve his ID. She gave it a quick onceover before looking at him. He waited while she seemed to come to a decision and then she flashed a quick smile as she handed him the wallet. "Thanks for the rescue, Captain."

"Just doing my duty, Miss Carter," he answered as he shifted his gaze towards her car and away from her eyes. He also tried to ignore the little voice in his head that kept telling him how pretty she looked, even if she was bundled up in a winter coat.

Deciding he needed to regain his equilibrium, he placed a hand on her arm and gestured towards the truck. "Go and get in," he said. "I'll take a look at this."

She stared at him for a few moments and Jack sensed the hesitation on Sam's part to follow his order. He wondered if there was a particular reason as to why she wouldn't trust an officer, so he tried to give her a reassuring smile. "You can trust me."

It took another few seconds but then he felt some of her tension ebb away and it was then he realized he was still touching her. Letting his hand fall to his side, he watched her go until she reached the truck but when she suddenly turned and met his eye, he quickly looked away. He carefully made his way around Sam's car and he couldn't find too much damage; although he couldn't really see much of anything now, so it didn't mean a lot in the grand scale of things. If the car was damaged, it might be fixable, but if he didn't get the car out of the elements soon, it wouldn't be. He needed Teal'c, but despite leaving a voicemail to say he required his friend's help, there was still no sign of him appearing.

Decision made, Jack scrambled out of the ditch and headed towards the truck. Once inside, he switched the engine on to heat up the cab. He removed his hat, threw it onto the dash and as he ran a hand through his hair, his passenger stared at him expectantly.

"You want the good news or the bad news?"

Again, Sam took a few moments and Jack could swear she was trying to figure out what to say before she simply shook her head and shrugged. "Surprise me."

"Well, I couldn't find any obvious damage to your car."

"That sounds like the good news, so…"

"We still need to get it out of there."

"Yeah," she sighed as she glanced out of the front window. "I have a winter survival kit in my car," she offered distractedly, "but I don't know if it'd be of any use."

Jack, again, couldn't quite hide his surprise at her statement and he was actually really impressed that Sam had thought to pack a driving kit – especially when it was something most drivers tended to ignore – but he still wasn't convinced it would help the two of them retrieve her car without the aid of a tow truck. With her attention seemingly focused elsewhere, Jack decided to risk another glance in her direction. She'd removed her hat and scarf, leaving her blonde hair to fall loosely to her shoulders and if he thought Sam was pretty before, he thought she was beautiful now. He felt the flutter of his heart and it caught him off-guard. Needing to focus on something else other than his passenger, he cleared his throat.

"What's in the kit?"

Sam tore her gaze away from the window and looked at him. "A change of clothes, flashlight, jumper cables, tow strap, shovel –"

Nodding his approval, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialled Teal'c's number again. He answered on the third ring.

"Hey, T. It's O'Neill… Yeah, we're fine. Where are you?"

He listened as his friend revealed he was actually still in town – at the station to be precise – as he'd been called to help Kawalsky with another broken down car. Teal'c was the resident mechanic of the town and with a large tow truck, was always one of the first points of contact when a little additional help was needed to move a vehicle. He'd been a particular help to Jack and his team over the past few days but just now he'd the roads were almost impassable; and if Teal'c was unsure as to whether he'd even be able to retrieve Sam's car, Jack knew things were bad. He needed to get back into town soon or else they'd both be stranded for the night. He ended the call and turned to look at his passenger.

"How attached are you to your car?"

He studied Sam with interest as she looked in its direction, her expression clouded. She genuinely appeared to be taking her time to consider his question, and Jack was just about to tell her that it was a throwaway comment when she spoke quietly.

"It doesn't hold the same appeal it once did."

Jack frowned at the cryptic answer but then Sam grabbed her hat, turned to look at him and smiled softly. "I just need to grab my stuff from the trunk."

Without warning, she snagged the flashlight from his hand and jumped out the truck and Jack watched her go before he realized he should be the one out there in the snow. Rolling his eyes, he managed to slip and slide his way across the road and reached Carter just as she reached the car and he gently grabbed her upper arm.

"Ah!" He said, plucking the flashlight from her hand and shining it just out of their line of sight so that he didn't have to strain to see her. "Before we go any further, Carter –"

"It's Sam," she corrected with more force than Jack thought she intended, going by her immediate contrite expression. She briefly closed her eyes. "Sorry," she added after a beat, "what were you going to say?"

"I was going to say we need to lay down a few ground rules, but now I'm not sure that's a good idea if that's how you're gonna react."

Even with the minimum light given off by the flashlight, he could see Sam blushing. He wasn't sure what he'd done to annoy her, but he was absolutely not about to tell her that she looked cute when she was embarrassed.

"What kind of rules are we talking about?"

"Rule number one: no-one gets left behind," he said firmly, then he gestured towards his truck. "Rule number two: it's dangerous out here. Don't be wandering off – with our only flashlight by the way – without telling me first."

"I was just going to get my stuff."

"I was going to do that."

"I could manage it on my own."

"I don't care."

"I'm not completely helpless, you know."

"I never said you were."

She immediately broke the stare and Jack frowned. Her defensiveness set off a few alarm bells and he started to wonder if she was doing this to try and prove some kind of a point. It wasn't necessarily her fault that she'd been stranded, but the idea that someone had perhaps once referred to Sam as helpless, filled him with inexplicable anger.

"Let's just get your stuff, okay?"

He spoke softly but didn't wait for an answer as he popped open the trunk and found a small suitcase, a medium-sized duffle bag, another smaller bag which he assumed to be the survival kit Sam had mentioned earlier, and a white cardboard box stored inside.

He instinctively reached for the suitcase while Sam opened the smaller bag. Jack watched as she picked out a few of the items – like the flashlight, first aid kit and batteries – before she threw them into the duffel and secured it tightly.

"What about the box?" He asked, gesturing with his head towards it.

Jack waited as Sam pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and hesitated for a moment before she removed the lid, grabbed one of the items and shoved it inside her coat pocket before he could see what it was.

"What –"

"The rest doesn't matter," she interrupted as she closed the trunk and shouldered her duffle bag.

They both made their way to the truck in silence and stored her items on the back seats. Then, Jack flicked the overhead light of the cab on and turned from his spot behind the wheel to look at Sam. His initial opinion that she was pretty remained accurate but she refused to meet his eye and she now looked tired and unsure; her earlier confidence and backchat giving way to exhaustion, and something in Jack's gut told him it wasn't just because she'd been stuck out here for the past hour. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily.

"How about we start over?"

She finally turned to look at him but didn't say anything. Instead, she studied him, a curious expression shining in those bright blue eyes.

"I'm Jack," he said, and he let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when she accepted his outstretched hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Jack. I'm Sam."

He returned her smile and he slowly felt a warmth settle over him that had absolutely nothing to do with the heat in the truck.

* * *

**Wishing you, and yours, a wonderful and peaceful Christmas. Have fun, stay safe and enjoy the holidays! X**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I apologize for the delay in updating this story.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**1900 hours****  
****Saturday, November 30****  
****Northern Minnesota**

If Jack thought the drive to rescue Sam took more time than he'd expected, the return journey into town was even slower. He'd mounted a snow plow attachment to the front of his truck that morning and it was helping to clear the road in front of them, but they hadn't even managed half a mile before he'd had to stop the truck twice. The tyres had locked, causing the truck to veer to the other side of the road. Jack was pretty confident they wouldn't crash because he was driving slowly, but he didn't want to take his chances; besides, his passenger was more anxious so he decided not to rush the drive back and checked with her to make sure she was okay for him to keep going.

The two of them sat in silence with Jack stealing the occasional glance at Sam, but she chose to keep her attention straight-ahead. _Probably for the best,_ Jack mused. After all, he didn't know anything about her – let alone whether she had actually intended to visit his town. He held his breath for a moment, then decided to find out.

"So," he said, keeping his attention on the road, "was our town your intended destination or were you just passing through?"

"It was my intended destination," she answered, but gave nothing else away and Jack felt that if he wanted to know more about the newcomer, he'd have to start wording his questions differently in the future. He bit back a sigh.

"Well... you're almost there now."

"Yeah."

"I take it you've somewhere to stay?"

"George –" She stopped abruptly, then nodded. "I have a reservation."

He suspected that wasn't what Sam had originally planned to say, so he looked over at her. "What brings you up this way?"

She met his gaze and he shrugged in response. "You don't seem like a typical Minnesotan."

"What makes you say that?"

He couldn't help but give her a quick onceover. He also couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. "I'll grant you that it's cold out there," he answered as he switched his attention back to his driving, "but the people around here are used to it being this cold. We don't need that many layers."

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Sam glance down at her clothes. "Plus, no-one from around here would have even attempted to drive that car of yours in this kind of weather," he added as his smile grew.

An amused snort was the only answer he received.

"I decided to take a road trip," Sam admitted after a lengthy pause. "I'd hoped to make it before the storm arrived, though."

"Where'd you set off from?"

"San Diego."

"San Di–" he glanced at her in surprise. "That's… one hell of a trip to be making at this time of year."

"Maybe," she acquiesced, "but it seemed like the right time to do it."

"Something happen back home?"

He's spoken before he realized, but immediately he knew it was the wrong question to ask when he felt her tense by his side. Her expression was guarded, so he'd clearly hit a nerve but decided to file the information away for another time – even though he really wanted to find out more about her. It wasn't like he could order her to answer his questions, but he was no closer to knowing her. He didn't know if she was married; he didn't know if she had a family back home that would be worried about her; he didn't even know what she did for a living – and he needed to know that he could trust her if he brought her into his town and to George Hammond.

He carefully steered the truck around a bend on the road before he spoke.

"You're not an axe murderer or something equally as hinky, are you?"

_"Hinky?"_

"Yeah."

"No."

"Just checking."

Silence followed the interaction and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sam smile. _At least she had a sense of humor_, he thought, and some of the tightness that had settled in his chest started to loosen.

* * *

"I wasn't due to visit until next week," Sam said after thirty minutes of quiet. Jack studied her for a moment, but her gaze was trained on her hands which rested on her lap. He was about to ask what changed her mind, but didn't think it would be the best way to get her to open up considering her earlier responses. Still, he was curious as to why she had chosen to visit the area, so he decided he didn't have much to lose. He glanced in his rear-view mirror and going for nonchalance, asked, "What made you decide to come here?"

Sam's jaw tightened at the question. "It looked pretty in the photographs," she confessed, "especially around the holidays."

"Well, you're right," he agreed, "although no-one is seeing much of anything but snow at the moment."

A soft chuckle escaped her. "I like the snow."

"Bet you don't see much of it in California though?"

She shook her head and smiled. "There's just something really magical about it; it's beautiful."

At her words, Jack glanced over to find Sam had turned slightly in her seat and her head now rested against the window as she stared out into the darkness.

"Yeah," he answered as he focused on the road, "I guess it is." He paused, then pressed on ahead. "So, aside from some photographs, what else do you know about us?"

"Um, not much."

He caught her hesitation before she spoke and he quirked a brow but he was stopped from saying anything when the truck suddenly started to slide towards the center of the road. It took a few seconds but he managed to get it back under control just as they reached the road sign welcoming them into town and Jack breathed a sigh of relief. They'd almost made it; even if they were to break down now, they could walk it to the station.

He continued to drive, but it took him a few seconds to realize that Sam's hand was now on top of his hand that rested on the gear shift. Her knuckles were white and when he looked at her, she was staring at him wide-eyed.

"You alright?" he asked gently.

A nod was his answer, but she didn't remove her hand.

"We're fine, Sam. Look, we're almost there. Just a few more minutes and then we can ditch the truck, okay?" He held her gaze, but she still looked spooked. He let out a sigh. "Remember when I said you could trust me?"

He waited until she nodded before he added, "Good. Well, now is one of those times."

It seemed to be enough to convince her and she visibly relaxed although her hand remained on his. He waited for a few seconds. "You know, as nice as this is," he said as he flexed his fingers so Sam's slipped slightly and the tips of her fingers intertwined with his, "I kinda need my hand back."

As if she'd been burned, Sam pulled her hand back and a deep red flush stained her cheeks and – _nope, not going there,_ Jack told himself. Instead, he smirked and concentrated on the last few minutes of their journey.

"I didn't realize I'd grabbed your hand."

"It's fine. Can't say I minded," he added after a beat.

"Are you always this charming?"

He heard the sarcasm beneath the question and felt her eyes on him but he refused to look at her, so he lifted a shoulder in response. "That depends –"

The shrill ring of Jack's cell phone interrupted the rest of his sentence and he reached into his pocket. Turning onto the street that led to the station, he flipped open the phone and pressed it to his ear.

"O'Neill."

_"Oh, Jack, thank god. Are you okay?"_

"Yeah. Why?"

_"We've been trying to reach you for forty minutes. Teal'c and Kawalsky were about to form a search party."_

"Ha _ha,_" he drawled.

_"I'm serious, Jack."_

He sighed. "I know, George. I'm sorry. I guess I lost signal but everything is fine and I'm back in town now. Where's T?"

_"At the station."_

"Alright," Jack said. "Can you call him and tell him to stay put? I'm a couple of minutes out."

_"Of course. Is Sam with you?"_

Jack's attention flicked towards his passenger and he frowned. "Yeah, I've got her. How'd you know –"

_"I'll see you both shortly then."_

With that, George ended the call and Jack stared at the phone warily.

"Is everything okay?"

"Sure," he said.

He then snapped the phone closed and threw it into the nearest cup holder. "I've just got to call by the office and check-in with the guys and then I'll take you to George's."

"That's fine. Thank you, Jack."

She smiled at him and for the first time since they met, Sam looked like she had finally started to relax. As he brought the truck to a stop outside the station, he returned her smile and tried to ignore the butterflies that started to form in his stomach.

* * *

**Are updates still wanted on this story, considering it's now February? Any feedback is appreciated! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you for all the great reviews for the previous chapters - updates will continue to be posted for this fic! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 4  
**

**2100 hours  
Saturday, November 30  
Northern Minnesota**

"Wait here," Jack said quietly as he closed the outer door of the station behind Sam. He placed a hand on the small of her back as he passed her and into the main office area, shedding his hat and gloves as he went. "Give me an update, Kawalsky."

His friend glanced up and hesitated for a moment when he caught sight of Sam before he moved towards their make-shift command center. He stopped in front of a large whiteboard and gestured vaguely to a list of street names.

"The roads around town are shut down," he confirmed, "but we'll not know how bad they are until the morning, but that doesn't really help us."

"Why not?"

"The latest forecast said the snow isn't due to let up for another 24 hours at the earliest."

Jack swore softly, then sighed. "What else?"

"Uh, as far as we can tell, almost everyone in town has made it home safely. Mitchell and Reynolds are going door-to-door to double-check; Ferretti's going to send a couple of his guys out when the shifts change for what they don't get covered. Aside from the power going down on Second and Fifth Street, there's been no further call-outs – although a few people were spotted trying to make their way to the park for sledding. We can't stop them, obviously, but we are advising people to stay in their homes."

"Good," Jack nodded. "Any word from Hayes?"

"Yeah; he wanted to know how we were _'handling the situation'_," Kawalsky said as he rolled his eyes. "I said you'd check in once you were back."

"Alright. Thanks, buddy." He had just turned to leave when Charles leaned in and whispered, "Who's that?"

Jack frowned in confusion, then followed his friend's gaze towards Sam. She was still standing at the door, but had moved a little further into the building to the nearest radiator. Her gloved hands hovered over its metal grooves while her gaze darted around the room, her expression one of curiosity and interest. An elbow to Jack's ribs pulled his attention away and he found Kawalsky staring at him pointedly.

"That's Sam Carter."

"Who – _oh_. Your call-out. Right, right," Charles said quietly as his gaze switched from Sam to Jack. "She's pretty."

With a final glare in Kawalsky's direction, Jack turned on his heel. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Hey, Carter," Jack called as he reached her. "Hot enough, yet?" he added with a smirk when he noticed how her back was pressed tightly against the radiator.

"I'm getting there," she smiled.

"Well, I just have a phone call to make and then we can head out to Hammonds."

"That's fine."

"Why don't you take a seat," he said, guiding her towards the center of the room, "and help yourself to some coffee."

He quickly introduced her to Kawalsky and then headed for his office, sending up a silent prayer that his friend wouldn't embarrass him too much while he was gone.

* * *

Jack set the receiver down and closed his eyes. He was exhausted, having been on the phone for over an hour with Henry Hayes, only for his superior to come to the conclusion that Jack and his fellow troopers were doing everything they could at the moment and to "keep up the good work".

Pulling himself out of his chair, he stretched – and chose to ignore the pops and cracks coming from his body – before he made his way back to Sam and Charles. He'd just rounded the corner when he heard the sound of a woman laughing and he paused to watch the scene in front of him. Sam was sitting on the edge of Kawalsky's desk, her hands curled around a cup of coffee. She'd removed her coat and was wearing a knitted sweater that looked quite festive, while her hair fell loosely around her shoulders. Her eyes were bright and her smile warm when she suddenly met his gaze from across the room.

"I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."

With a wry smile, the words "not a chance, Carter", escaped Jack as he took the proferred cup of coffee she held. He took a sip and waited for the awkward silence from his comment to dissipate. "So," he said as he cleared his throat, "I trust Kawalsky's been the perfect host."

"I've been on my best behavior, Jack," he smirked.

"As have I, O'Neill."

Jack spun on his heel at the voice and saw Teal'c standing behind him.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"I have had the pleasure of Miss Carter's company for approximately forty-five minutes."

Narrowing his eyes accusingly, he glanced between his two friends, then to Sam, who looked far too amused by the situation. "I don't even want to know what you've told her."

A chuckle from Sam confirmed his suspicions and he sighed.

"I guess now would be a good time to head out," he said, directing his words at Sam who nodded, then jumped off the desk.

Jack watched her grab her jacket before he turned to Kawalsky. "I'm going to take Carter to Hammond Lodge and then come back here. Hayes says he's going to check in every two hours unless something changes."

"You need to rest too, Jack," his friend answered.

"I'm fine."

"Charles Kawalsky is right, O'Neill. It has been a long and rather eventful day," Teal'c added.

"I've got things covered until Ferretti gets here. Go," he insisted, nodding towards Sam before he gave Jack a knowing look.

"Fine," Jack grumbled, "but I'll be back in a few hours."

Stepping outside, Jack decided it would be quicker for him and Sam to go on foot from the station to Hammond Lodge. They'd be cold and covered in snow, but it would still be quicker and safer than taking the truck. So, after a short discussion, they'd agreed that he would carry Sam's case, while she would carry the duffle bag.

"Ten minutes, tops," he promised her as they stepped onto the street, but they'd only just started their journey when Jack heard his name being called. He turned to see Teal'c ten feet behind them and heading in their direction.

"What's up?"

"I want to ensure you both reach your destination safely," he answered, "so I have decided to accompany you."

"What, like a chaperone?"

It was only when he said it, did Jack realize how the question sounded and he risked a glance at Sam who now seemed to be blushing, but he was saved from saying anything else when Teal'c reached forward and effortlessly took the case from Jack's hands before he grabbed Sam's duffle.

"Lead the way, O'Neill."

With a chuckle, Jack gestured for them to continue and as they made their way through the deserted streets, he pointed out various stores or points of interest in the town to Sam. They then took a left and started to make their way up one of the steeper streets. Situated at the top of this street, overlooking the rest of the town, was Hammond Lodge. It was a magnificent wooden structure, almost Alpine in style, yet it wasn't out of place with the neighboring trees and the rustic surroundings nearby. It was always a busy establishment as it provided rooms and food to the various visitors that graced their little town throughout the year, but in the run up to the festive season it was even busier. One reason for why the accommodation was always so popular was down to its owner, George Hammond. He was a father figure to many in the town, and his warm, affable personality allowed him to get along with virtually every person who'd stayed at Hammond Lodge over the years. He went out of his way to make his guests feel welcome, and like family.

A soft gasp from Jack's right pulled him from his thoughts and he turned to see Sam staring wide-eyed as the lodge came into view and a small smile played around her lips.

"It's beautiful," she whispered as they neared and Jack couldn't disagree.

Both the lodge and the surrounding grounds were covered with snow, while soft yellow light filtered out through the windows, warm and inviting. At the front of the lodge, a string of lanterns hung from one end to the other, while the snow covered the decking that ran around the building. The snow-capped trees behind the lodge added to its majesty. It looked like a scene from a Christmas card.

Jack cleared his throat softly before he gave Sam a gentle nudge. "C'mon, let's get inside," he said as he gestured for Teal'c to go first.

"Lucy, we're home," Jack sing-songed moments later as the warmth from Hammond Lodge reached him and the sound of laughter could be heard coming from one of the other rooms. Without warning, there was a flash of movement in the hall and a little boy came running into the kitchen.

_"Dad!"_

Jack had just enough time to set his hat on one of the worktops before Charlie collided with his legs. He crouched down and smiled as he wrapped his arms around his son and placed a kiss into his hair. "Hey, kiddo."

Lifting Charlie up and resting him on his hip, he turned to find Teal'c placing Sam's luggage to the side while she watched them both fondly.

"Hi," Sam smiled.

"Hi," Charlie replied shyly.

"Charlie," Jack said, "this is –"

_"Jack!"_

Jack glanced over his shoulder at the sound of his name as Daniel and George entered the kitchen, closely followed by Janet and her daughter Cassandra. For a few moments, the room was chaos with various conversations all taking place before Jack had enough. He cleared his throat loudly and waited until the rest of them fell silent.

"I believe some introductions are in order," he finally said. He then looked at Sam and added, "Everyone, this is Sam Carter. She's going to be staying in town for a few days. Sam," he paused, as he gestured towards George, "this is –"

"Oh," the older man suddenly chuckled as he stepped forward with open arms, "I know who Sam is."

Jack frowned in confusion when Sam let out a breath, then she smiled and stepped into the older man's embrace. When she finally pulled back, she said softly, "It's good to see you again, George."

"Wait," Jack interrupted, his frown deepening, "you two know each other?"

"We –"

"It's a long story," George interrupted gently, but Jack caught the warning look in his eye and decided not to press the issue. _Yet._

"So, you're Sam Carter." At the statement, Jack turned to face Daniel, who reached out a hand to Sam. "I'm Daniel Jackson."

"Daniel," Sam answered and Jack suddenly felt like he was in _The Twilight Zone_. "It's good to finally meet you."

"Ah – you – you too," he smiled as he pointedly ignored Jack's glare, "but I thought you weren't due to be in town until next week?"

"Change in plans," she shrugged, but her smile remained.

"Excuse me," Jack said, "does someone want to –"

The rest of his sentence was cut off, however, by George who clapped his hands together and declared loudly, "Who's hungry?"

While the rest of his company all seemed to agree that food was a good idea, Jack's attention turned to Sam, and he couldn't help but feel a little put out when she wouldn't quite meet his eye.

**TBC...**


End file.
